Seoul: The People Power Party (PPP) on Tuesday announced that former Labor Minister Kim Moon-soo and former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon have been shortlisted as the top contenders in the party's primary for the upcoming June presidential election. The party is expected to finalize its candidate later this week.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim and Han have moved forward to the final stage of the selection process to secure the PPP's nomination for the June 3 election, which will decide the successor to ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol. Yoon was removed from office following a failed attempt to impose martial law. Former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and PPP lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo have been eliminated from the race.
Due to no candidate achieving a majority in the second round of the primary, which combined votes from party members and public opinion polls, a runoff between Kim and Han is necessary to determine the official nominee. The contenders are set to participate in debate sessions on Wednesday, with an electorate vote and public opinion polling scheduled over the subsequent two days. The PPP intends to confirm its candidate at a party convention on Saturday.
Opinion polls indicate that Democratic Party candidate Lee Jae-myung currently holds a strong lead in the presidential race. Meanwhile, Acting President Han Duck-soo is reportedly contemplating entering the race and could announce his candidacy later this week. As a technocrat with no party affiliation, Han would either need to run as an independent or collaborate with the PPP's nominee to present a united conservative front.
Both Kim and Han have expressed willingness to undergo an additional process to unify with Han Duck-soo if he joins the race, a move seen as enhancing the conservative camp's prospects against Lee Jae-myung.